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PASTEL DE NATA "SPOONS"
PORTUGUESE EGG TART DECONSTRUCTION STARTS AT 00:56.
#1: Tart Crust Recipe OR sugar cookie dough recipe
Use bake-able spoon molds, OR form tin foil around a spoon to make a DIY mold. If you're not using a non-stick silicone mold, then you'll need to create a non-stick coating by first greasing the tin foil with a thin layer of butter or oil, then dusting that layer with flour or starch of some kind. Turn them upside down and tap them well to get rid of any excess flour/starch, then you're all set to add the tart dough.
Fill the moulds with the dough, then freeze for 30 minutes. Bake them in a pre-heated oven according to the instructions for the above recipe, making sure to check halfway through and removing them as soon as they start to turn light brown.
Cool completely at room temperature before add the custard "caviar".
(Bonus step: coat the spoons in white chocolate before adding the caviar, this acts as a "waterproof" layer if you're planning on setting the dessert out for longer than 10 minutes before eating. Longer than 10 minutes, and the "caviar" would otherwise start to moisten the cookie spoons, and they might even get a bit soggy.)
#2: Custard "Caviar" / "Pearls" Recipe
Ingredients:
1 batch (600 ml.) of creme anglaise vanilla custard sauce: recipe link
1 tsp. of agar agar powder OR 2 tbs. agar agar flakes OR 1 tbs. of powdered gelatin
1 large jar or bowl filled with very cold grain oil (any neutral oil liquid at room temp. NOT olive oil)
First soak your gelling agent for 5 minutes in an equal volume of cold water. If using agar agar, next boil in the microwave or over the stove for about 1 minute, careful not to scorch it in the microwave (just stir it often). Add to the room-temperature or warm custard sauce (NOT cold) and combine well. If using gelatin, melt it in the microwave on 10 second bursts, stirring in between, and stop as soon as it has all dissolved. Add to CHILLED custard sauce, mixing well.
Set out your very cold oil in a deep bowl or large jar, and dribble little spoonfuls of the custard sauce into it. It should form little spheres and float to the bottom. It's best to do this in batches and so that the spheres don't crowd each other and get squished. Strain the "caviar" through a fine mesh sieve (pour the oil into another large bowl and reuse), rinse them quickly in cold water, then store in the fridge until needed.